How is a human’s consciousness/awareness different form an animal or plant?

[Alfonsoo]

Do we experience the world the same way? Can other life forms self actualizar, grow, enlighten?

[Arzack]

no, only humans can enlighten

[Breakingthewall]

It's interesting. I think that the animals have not ego, or not like us, since they have not a language. Even social animals act mostly by instinct, and they belong to a determined environment, they can't adapt , improve their life conditions, evolve. Only their genes can, so they are absolutely free in sense that they have not to take decisions. Wonderful freedom, sure it's great to be any wild animal

[seeking_brilliance]

Sine waves. Also, mu. 

[Tim R]

On 6.9.2020 at 6:44 PM, Alfonsoo said:

Do we experience the world the same way? Can other life forms self actualizar, grow, enlighten?

We certainly don't experience the world in the same way as other beings. Apes probably experience something very similar, but as "lower" the life form, the more primitive its perception/experience becomes. Bacteria for example have incredibly primitive perception; they don't perceive anything visual, acoustical, haptic or gustatory. They can perceive "scent" thanks to chemo-receptors, which isn't real smelling but some other sort of chemical perception. 

The experiencer who underlies all experience is the same though.

If an bacteria could describe its sense of "I", it would have to describe the same "I" which we describe; nothingness/pure, empty awareness.

[lmfao]

The plant would have to want to enlighten in the first place and I don't see that happening. 

[seeking_brilliance]

In modern evolution theory, humans were plants at one time

[Tim R]

13 minutes ago, seeking_brilliance said:

In modern evolution theory, humans were plants at one time

No, not quite

We share a common ancestor with plants, but animals are not the descendants of plants themselves. As a matter of fact, we are closer related to fungi (mushrooms) than to plants.

Edited September 7, 2020 by Tim R

[Ibgdrgnxxv]

Because it is filtered by a human body and not animal. 

[Tim R]

Just now, Ibgdrgnxxv said:

Because it is filtered by a human body and not animal. 

Humans are animals...

[seeking_brilliance]

@Tim R oh yum I like fungi too?

[Breakingthewall]

13 minutes ago, Tim R said:

Humans are animals...

But really special animals. The only animal with language. I read that is a law about language, the pif or piff law, in all languages the  most used word is used double times than the second one and the second one double times than the third one...in all languages, even the oldest and tribal languages...so language is in our genes, and language creates the ego...so could say that the ego is in our genes 

Edited September 7, 2020 by Breakingthewall

[Tim R]

Language is not something only humans use. All creatures communicate and all communication is based on "meaning"; language is a pointer.

Even if it's something like chemical communication among plants, certain chemicals mean something.

Humans have developed the most complex language among all creatures, as far as we know. Some say the communication between dolphins and whales are very complex, too.

And concerning ego... Well, some animals can recognize their body in a mirror, while young humans can't (yet).

You can literally talk to a bloody gorilla.

 

 

[Breakingthewall]

@Tim R yeah but animals always repeat the same patrons , for example, a group of chimpanzee, in the jungle, in the zoo, anywhere, do almost exactly organisation, when they are more than 60 the group get broken and another male start another group. Humans have this kind of patrons too, but are absolutely heterogeneous. There are humans designing computers same time others are in the jungle living in the prehistory. Animals have language but only to say danger, love, hunger...etc. only humans build histories, that's why we are crazy . But it's another particularity. Our brain is capable to understand the mathematics of the universe, the relativity, the quantum mechanics. A man from the prehistory could understand the relativity if anyone teach him. 

Edited September 7, 2020 by Breakingthewall

[Breakingthewall]

Incredible the video of the woman and the gorilla, we are really close of the animals

 

[traveler]

On 6.9.2020 at 6:44 PM, Alfonsoo said:

Do we experience the world the same way? Can other life forms self actualizar, grow, enlighten?

Who actually knows and who cares? We can only theorise, humans love theorising. 

All life forms grow. Actualization and enlightenment though, is fabricated by the unique human experience of being separated. "Enlightenment" is separation looking for a reason or meaning to it's illusory reality. It never finds it, notice you haven't found it? It is not for you, it is not an exclusive thing only for humans. Humans have an extra layer that is called "me" (lack of a better word) that creates separation from everything else. That layer can fall away, it won't make you more special than a dog or a flower, it won't make you better. IT IS A LOSS, you can't comprehend real loss though, because if you could, did you really lose it?Enlightenment is purely an egoic pursuit. This is it, there is no welcome home party, you were already always home.  

Edited September 7, 2020 by traveler

[Carl-Richard]

11 minutes ago, dflores321 said:

@Mikael89 Im honestly not sure what this enlightenment stuff is about lol. Trying to destroy the ego is the ego partitioning itself into two people, the ego and the person destroying the ego. So I dont really know what to do about this ego, I just keep meditating and feeling reality more. 

I used the wrong word, its not self-awareness even though humans do have this capability although its rarer. I meant to say that humans are just aware that they exist deep down. I think an animal is more like an unconscious dream, even more unconscious than the average persons dream of life. Some animals are more conscious though even if they look primitive and funny to us. 

I believe you should approach spirituality from a place of inclusion, wonder and love rather than destruction, exclusion and detachment. Go towards beauty, towards what draws you in, towards what seems the most interesting for you, towards God. Extend your consciousness, unfold yourself fully and accept all aspects of reality. The deconstruction of your ego and detachment from your wordly self will happen naturally as your seeking intensifies.

Edited September 8, 2020 by Carl-Richard

[Ibgdrgnxxv]

2 hours ago, Tim R said:

Humans are animals...

Animals will submit to humans. The sun too.

[Q14:33] And He subjected for you the sun and the moon, continuous [in orbit], and subjected for you the night and the day.

[Ibgdrgnxxv]

15 minutes ago, Ibgdrgnxxv said:

Animals will submit to humans. The sun too.

[Q14:33] And He subjected for you the sun and the moon, continuous [in orbit], and subjected for you the night and the day.

And humans to God. 

[Carl-Richard]

10 minutes ago, dflores321 said:

@Carl-Richard Although, I brought up the topic of destroying ones ego as a response to someone elses post. 

I know. My response to you was me agreeing with you.